A 61-year-old woman’s decision to leave her dog in a car during a yacht meeting at West Palm Beach’s Rybovich Marina ended in tragedy when the animal died from heat exposure. Police arrested Elaine Yen, the dog’s owner, after the death of her six-year-old chihuahua, Nina Hope. She now faces animal cruelty charges.
CBS12 reports that Yen parked her car in direct sunlight with the air conditioning running, believing it would keep Nina Hope comfortable during her meeting. But when she returned, the vehicle was blowing hot air from the vents — a discovery that revealed the dog’s suffering.
According to a West Palm Beach Police report obtained by BocaNewsNow, Yen arrived at the marina around 10:20 a.m. expecting the meeting to last 15–20 minutes. Instead, it stretched to about an hour, leading to the fatal oversight.
When Yen saw her dog in distress, she and a marina employee tried to revive Nina Hope with CPR, but their efforts failed. As the situation unfolded, authorities placed Yen in handcuffs while she said she felt faint. Medics responded, but she declined transport to the hospital.
The heartbreaking incident serves as a warning about the dangers of leaving pets in vehicles, especially in Florida’s intense heat.
Yen, a yacht accountant from Pembroke Pines, has been released on a $5,000 bond. Court documents describe the charge as “aggravated animal cruelty (leading to) excessive pain or death.” She awaits a pending court date.
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